


Follow the Leader

by gonetoarcadia



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Dancing, M/M, Pre-Slash, Snark, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-30
Updated: 2012-05-30
Packaged: 2017-11-06 08:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/416739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gonetoarcadia/pseuds/gonetoarcadia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trying to make the best of SHIELD's latest disaster of a gala, Tony and Loki disagree over who should lead. Loki settles the argument decisively and Tony minds rather less than he should.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Follow the Leader

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TrollHero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrollHero/gifts).



> Written for [this prompt](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/5102.html?thread=5094382#t5094382) at the Avengers kinkmeme.

“This is not how I pictured the evening going,” Tony said dryly.

Dressed in green and gold and looking every inch the member of otherworldly royalty that he was, Loki gave Tony a _look_.

“I assure you that the feeling is mutual. I, however, have no intention of giving anyone reason to doubt my complete and utter cooperation.”

Tony scoffed a little, reaching up to fiddle with the collar of his tuxedo (black as sin, and vetted by Pepper three times before he’d made it to the actual floor.) 

“Yeah, but you just want to avoid having Lightning McQueen break out the irons again. What’s my incentive?”

“Me not killing you before he has the chance to get here,” Loki replied pleasantly. 

Tony quirked an eyebrow slightly, trying not to find a threat on his life amusing and failing spectacularly. It was difficult to take freeze-pop here seriously when he’d watched him pacing back and forth and checking his reflection in the mirror twenty times before he’d worked up the nerve to walk in.

“Mhm, sure. I’m inclined to go along with it, but only because if Barton puts an arrow through your skull it’s going to make a mess on my jacket. Dry clean only, you know how it is.”

“Stop talking and start making me look like less of a target,” was Loki’s cool reply as he took Tony’s hand and began to lead him away from the long tables and towards the center of the elegant dancers moving around the room. Tony followed him only semi-reluctantly.

“Next time Fury decides we need to hold a black tie, I’m just going to pay off everyone to say they were there. Seems simpler.”

Loki, coming to rest across from Tony, looked as unimpressed as it was possible for one god to be.

“You are clearly the soul of diplomacy.”

“Funny, that’s what Rhodey told me last week.” 

“Do you ever stop trying to be clever?”

“Trying? I think you have me confused with someone else.”

Loki made a sound with his tongue that Tony assumed probably implied disgust, and it rather improved his mood about the whole situation. One hand still in Loki’s, he dropped the other to find the position just below the other man’s shoulder blade.

“Oh, I think not,” Loki interrupted him quickly, catching the hand and re-directing it to the top of his shoulder.

“There’s only room for one leader here,” Tony said, snatching his hand back quickly. “And I’m pretty sure that title doesn’t go to the guy who’s tried and failed to rule two separate planets.”

“You really do want me to kill you, don’t you?” Loki seemed genuinely amused, and perhaps a touch mystified. Tony shrugged, his grin practically gleaming.

“I’ve been told self-preservation isn’t my strong suit. Now are you going to follow me, Gramps, or am I going to have to introduce you to Evelyn over there? Lovely for eighty-three, you know. Probably more your speed.”

Loki actually snorted this time, and his hand closed over Tony’s again like a vise. He tugged it to his shoulder forcibly and held it there, all the while matching Tony’s gaze evenly and challengingly. 

“I think, Mr. Stark, that you should be careful who you underestimate. You _will_ follow me, and you are going to smile so that my brother and the rest of the maggots sitting in the dark with weapons trained on my back can see what a lovely time you’re having.”

“No, you’re still thinking of someone else,” Tony tried, as he attempted to pry his hand free. It was like trying to shift rock, and about as effective. 

“I would prefer if you didn’t make me break form here, but I will if I must.”

Narrowing his eyes, Tony stood resolutely still, continuing to pull against the immovable grip on his hand.

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that -“ and here Tony’s hand was suddenly free but Loki’s was at his waist already, “- we are going to dance now.” 

And then both of Loki’s hands were pulling him up until his feet weren’t even touching the ground, and Tony yelped because _what the fuck_. Both hands grabbed hold of the tops of Loki’s shoulders out of sheer instinctual need to hold on, and Loki’s eyes glittered with barely suppressed mirth while a smirk flickered at his lips. 

“Put me down, put me down, _put me down_.”

Loki had already begun to move along to the dance steps, more or less, with his partner unable to do anything but stare at him in horror and kick his legs. 

“I’m not sure, I think I actually prefer this. You’re closer to an acceptable height now.”

Tony opened and shut his mouth before actually _hissing_.

“I look ridiculous. If you don’t put me down right now I’m going to yell bloody murder and you’ll be spending the rest of the night in your favourite holding cell.”

For whatever reason, the infuriating smirk on Loki’s face didn’t diminish at all, even though he rather abruptly dropped Tony to the floor. Tony barely caught himself thanks to the suddenness, and it was only thanks to Loki’s steadying arms that he didn’t lose his balance entirely. Loki, meanwhile, just pulled him back into the steps of the dance as if nothing at all had happened.

“You shouldn’t make threats you don’t intend to carry out,” he advised.

Tony, rather out of breath and trying to stay in step, scowled blackly as he found himself following Loki’s feet.

“Oh, and why exactly is that? Please do tell. I’m sure I can’t live without hearing this one.”

“Because I’d hate to leave you thinking about and pining after your most charming partner all night.” 

Which was when Loki twirled them in front of the cameras set up near the south-east corner, and the snap and flash of the cameras recording the moment imprinted themselves on the back of Tony’s eyelids.

“I’m sure I can do better than Little Boy Blue,” Tony snapped back, although not entirely angrily. If anyone could appreciate a truly magnificent bastard, after all, it was him.

“Perhaps, and perhaps not,” was Loki’s rather whimsical answer, his foot moving faster than the eye could follow to toe Tony’s back into line.

“Tell me honestly because I’m curious: has anyone anywhere ever actually liked you?”

Loki laughed an actual, genuine laugh at that, and Tony had to fight very, very hard to keep the corner of his own mouth from twitching up. 

“I suppose at some point you’ll have to tell me,” Loki replied as the music wound down and Loki brought them to a slow halt. 

“Believe me, I’m the last opinion you’re going to want to survey on this one.”

Instead of answering, Loki took one of Tony’s hands with the most mocking smile he could have ever imagined, and brought it to his lips. When he released it, much to Tony’s hurried pleasure, he half turned with mischief written in every line of his face.

“Very true. I only trust the estimations of those above three feet tall.” 

And then he was gone, somehow already on the other side of the room, and Tony very slowly scanned the crowd with narrowed eyes until his line of sight settled on the tall figure laughing easily to his brother. 

Not that he cared, because the Asgardian was very clearly the worst kind of trouble and something he should steer clear of for all of their sakes. It wasn’t like he was now thinking about all the kinds of trouble the two of them could get up to if they were unleashed on the general populace. Pepper would fillet him if she caught wind of it, and no doubt Director Fury would have an aneurysm. Barton wouldn’t talk to him for a week and there would inevitably be at least one actual fire to put out by the end of the day.

So really, when you added up all those pluses he couldn’t think of one good reason not to spend time with Thor’s brother. Team bonding. Building new alliances. Diplomatic immunity.

Laughing to himself, Tony went in search of a drink.


End file.
